Juan D. Rivera started learning everything he could about plants, farming, livestock, and ecosystems at a young age. Since then, he’s earned a Master’s degree in wildlife biology (Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México) and a PhD in forestry (North Carolina State University), both with an emphasis on conservation farming and renewable technology. He has worked in planning crops for companies and workshops, as an educational consultant and writer.
When I first dipped my toes into container gardening, I wasn’t expecting much. I mean, how much could I really grow in a pot, right? Well, as it turns out—quite a lot! Container gardening has…
I’ve learned one thing through my years of container gardening: You’re not the only one who wants to enjoy your plants. If you’ve got a container garden, it’s only a matter of time before pests…
If you’ve ever walked out to your container garden and found holes in your leaves or pests crawling around like they own the place, I feel your pain. We put a lot of love and…
Let me tell you, I used to think of my garden as a battlefront. Armed with sprays and pesticides, I felt like a soldier defending my plants from the enemy—those pesky pests. But over time,…
As a passionate container gardener, I’ve often faced the challenge of keeping my plants hydrated. There’s nothing quite like stepping onto my balcony, coffee in hand, only to find my beloved plants looking a little…
Before I spent time around dairy cattle, I pictured milking as either a peaceful postcard scene or some cold industrial process straight out of a documentary. In my head, there wasn’t much middle ground. Then…
I’ll be honest — before I spent time around cattle, I assumed cows basically worked like giant four-legged humans with hooves and stomachs built like industrial compost bins. Milk comes out. Babies happen. Somewhere in…
I’ll admit it — the first time one of my goats stared directly into my soul, I got a little uncomfortable. Not scared. Just… observed. You know that look dogs give when they want a…
Every evening at a small farm near me, two geese named Betty and Bert stage the same little parade like clockwork. Around 5:45 PM, they waddle across the riding arena with all the confidence of…